Petrified Lover
by Hiiragi
Summary: Petrified in the Evil Forest. Blank has a silver-haired admirer who has never even seen him before. [Yaoi - Blank Kuja]
1. The Meeting

"So.. My dear brother Zidane. I thought you would have died on this pathetic planet already. Yet, I still find traces of your steps." This was all said by the silver-haired Kuja as he eyed the Evil Forest--Petrified, was it? He felt the life though as he placed his hands to the vines that clutched at the trees and seemed to have been trying to rip them from the ground. "Seems like you had a close call here, Zidane… Too bad it wasn't close enough." He smirked and began to turn to leave. Why had he come to this place anyway? Was he still so obsessed with that pathetic thing that was practically his 'brother'? He froze though as he felt something. What was this feeling? It wasn't the life of those vines that he was feeling now, but the life of something more.  
  
He turned back to face the petrified forest. "What is in there..?" He couldn't stay any longer. It wasn't his business to stay next to such a site. Something indeed was in there, and it wanted to find out exactly what this something was. It didn't take too much lingering here and there to find out what exactly was trapped within the Forest. So, it was one of Zidane's little friends? How cute..and very interesting. It was very tempting too. He wanted to meet this..Blank. So, he paid a visit to Treno after his little trip to Burmecia which confirmed that Zidane was indeed alive and well.  
  
It was there that he seen what he believed to be his sweet Canary. Could it really be her? What was that fool, Brahne, thinking? It didn't matter though. He spoke with the auctioneer and found out that what he searched for was there. "The supersoft? Yes, it is here. It is set to be auctioned tomorrow morning." A smile came to Kuja's lips and those soft blues looking to the man directly for the first time after speaking so highly of his dear trapped Canary. "The supersoft.. I want it. I know you value my business enough." The auctioneer seemed to hesitate for only a moment before speaking, "Wait here." He left the room and soon returned with the item, handing toward Kuja for taking. "No charge of course.." The auctioneer nodded quickly enough, "No need in charging you."  
  
Kuja gave an approving nod then before waving his hand away, "It's not for me--I have a favor to ask. Give it to the shop owner." The auctioneer gave a quirk of his brow, "You wouldn't happen to have taken part in spreading that rumor of the shop owner having it, would you?" The silver-haired man moved one hand to shove his hair from his face as he turned away from the auctioneer, "What concern is it to you? Just do as I ask and you will get the weapons that you want. You know that the value of those weapons in auction is far more than the value of the supersoft." The man nodded lightly, putting the supersoft away and saying, "It will be done." Kuja then left the building. It was then that the man wondered. "What is it that he is planning now..?"  
  
He returned to Alexandria right after the event He was more interested in seeing if his plans were going as he wished them too, but he found out something more interesting upon his return. His Canary, Princess Garnet, had been captured and was currently speaking with the ugly elephant-lady that she believed to be her mother. How dense could his sweet Canary be? Well, that didn't matter. He had to see her for the 'first time'. Really, he had seen her many times before, but that had been from the shadows. He would be able to see her without hiding this time.   
  
Why was he so excited? He stood at the door that would lead into the room which his Canary was speaking with that horrid monster of a 'queen.' The woman was lying to her--and he couldn't help but smile as Garnet said she didn't believe her 'mother's' words. It was his cue now. The door was pushed open and he was allowed to see his Canary for the 'first time'. "May I play a part in this act?" He closed the distance between himself and his Canary gracefully enough. Was she even impressed? It was OK if she wasn't. There was time enough to convince her. "Act?" She questioned. "Yes, an act from a beautiful play... There is a knight on a white horse... ...and a beautiful princess. It is a tale of tragic love. Overcome by grief, the princess must sleep for a hundred years…"  
  
Dagger seemed scared then, "You... I've seen you before…" "It appears we were destined to meet again. My sweet angel, come to me. I will take you to a world of dreams." He gave a simple wave of his hand and a few choice murmurings of words. This should make her rest for a while. She had to be so exhausted and stressed. Who wouldn't be stressed to have that -thing- for a mother anyway? He caught her in his arms carefully enough and held her. He gazed down upon her. He wished he could hold her forever this way. "She is beautiful, even in sleep." That fool elephant-lady's greed was an amusing thing. She didn't even care for the one she had been using to replace her dead daughter. But this was why he could use her so easily.  
  
So, his Canary was taken from him so that the twins could perform their little spell to take the eidolons from her. He was leaning against the wall once again when he felt Zidane's arrival. It was time to check on his sleeping stranger. He took his ship to the Evil Forest and it was from his ship that he seen the lone person that was heading towards the same forest on foot. "So, this is the one that will be waking the forest?" One hand moved to hold back his hair which was whipping about in the wind. "Don't go so fast!" He glared over at those black mages and they listened to his 'order' by slowing down. "We need to stay behind him.. I'll get to this person first…"  
  
He walked over to meet the black mage that steered the ship, watching curiously as he operated it. It was so sad that the people on this planet were so manipulative and wished to destroy each other as they did. Brahne was the worst case he had ever seen though. He supposed he could tack it onto her husband's death. That was her downfall. And then..what was his? He tensed slightly at that thought. "How could I ever have a downfall like that?" He laughed at such thoughts. He would never fail. Garland would suffer for making him to use him second to Zidane.  
  
He felt the ship seeming to slow down more and more--and now lowering. "We're here." He moved out then and exited the ship as they landed a ways away from the Evil Forest. It must have been only just restored. The vines rested there on the ground, the source of it having been destroyed obviously. That was good, it meant that he didn't have to deal with such a nuisance. He only had to get to the person in question before that other one did. It was time to go roaming about in the forest. It wasn't his sort of place though, but he supposed he would just deal with it.  
  
He had to see what it was that made him feel so strange. Of course he had felt strange first because it was a person trapped within the forest, but then it was because of something else. A cringe was given as a thorny vine seemed to grasp his arm. "Tch!" He attempted to jerk away from it then, but then the source of it seemed to appear. It was much more than just a bunch of thorny vines. It was a monster. And he was the fool to be caught off-guard and he couldn't cast any spells as the vines had already restrained both arms. "Damnit!"  
  
It seemed like he would be captured by a simple monster such as this one--and perhaps eaten alive by the thing until its grip suddenly gave way. He fell back, holding at his wounds from the thorns tearing at his skin. The red-haired stranger approached him, offering him a hand to help him up, "You OK? It's really dangerous here and you're not even equipped with a weapon. Are you stupid or something?" Kuja glared lightly before he realized who this person was exactly. It was the one he had done all of this to meet. "I was just caught off-guard." He took the red-head's hand and allowed him to help him up.   
  
"Who are you anyway?" Kuja shook his head, "And interested third party." That surely seemed to confuse the red-head who had been healing Kuja's wounds with potions. Zidane's friends weren't too bad. Nice little rats, weren't they? True friendship was the term usually associated with such. "Never mind that.. I have something I want to give you after you give me something in return." The red-head seemed even more confused as he spoke, "What do you want from me?" Kuja smiled and answered, "Your name."  
  
"It's Blank. Why do you--" He was cut short as lips suddenly claimed his own. What was this weird guy thinking?! He froze despite his initial thoughts of shoving the pretty man away. Yes, he had had such thoughts when he first seen the man being attacked. He had actually had to question if it was indeed a man or a very beautiful woman. He betted that Zidane would have hit on him at the least. Kuja pulled back eventually. A laugh escaped him as he noted that Blank's arms had taken a hold of him at some point. "Your friend is here for you and I'm afraid that we must finish this at another time." Another, much shorter kiss was given before he took his leave.  
  
Perhaps he would steal this lovely red-head away again at another time. Why did he feel so strange around Blank? It was even greater than the feeling he had for his sweet Canary. Could he really feel something great for another man? He had, after all, just kissed him and had went through all the trouble just to see him. Was it… love?  
  
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Want more? ^.- Review and ask!  
  
I hope you enjoyed it.  
  
Hiiragi- 


	2. Second Love and Deception

Chapter 2  
  
Marcus was quite relieved as he spotted the redhead. Why was Blank just standing there like that? "Bro, over here!" He gave a hurried wave of one hand to the other--trying to get him to hurry and follow. Who knew when the Forest might decide to try and swallow them again. Also, they had to go and help Zidane. "Hold up. My body still feels kinda stiff." Blank would hurry after the other though. His body was so stiff for more than one reason. One reason being the fact that he had been petrified for what seemed like forever, though he had no track of time while he was in that state. The other reason being that kiss he was given by that strangely beautiful man. It was then that Marcus's voice brought him back to reality, "We've gotta hurry! Zidane and Dagger are in trouble!" "Who's Dagger? Zidane's new girl?" Marcus looked back as he ran along, "What? You don't know?" Blank gave a huff of frustration. How was he supposed to know what happened while he was in that long 'sleep', "Know what? What are you talking about?" Marcus shook his head as he continued to run, "Just keep running!" Blank murmured, "Sheez..."  
  
They seemed to have made it just in time. Zidane and Dagger were in trouble. So, Princess Garnet was still sticking with that monkey-boy? Perhaps it was the other way around and most surely that was how Blank thought of it. Zidane was forever chasing skirts after all. It always made him so jealous. Would Zidane ever see what he was doing to him? He kept hidden with Marcus for the moment. Marcus would give the signal for when they would jump into this scene and save the stupid hero which was the one that -Blank- had such feelings for. Of course he would never speak on them to the blonde-'monkey-boy'. Zidane would probably take it for a joke. He jumped a bit as the steel gates trapped Zidane and the others. Those two twin clowns had been the ones who set the trap. He and Marcus had followed them to the exact spot, but were now waiting for the right time to jump in. Zidane seemed to growl out his words, "You bastards!" Thorn spoke in his rather shrilly voice, "Bastards, we may be, but clever are we." It was then that Zorn seemed to giggle out in the strange rhyming scheme they enjoyed speaking in.  
  
"Annoying..," Blank murmured before shoving Marcus off the platform they had managed to get on which rested above the twins. Marcus ended up knocking over that idiot, giggling clown. Blank soon followed after to knock down the other twin. "Zidane, are you alright!?" Blank offered a concerned look over toward his 'brother'. That was what they considered one another in Tantalus after all. Even if Zidane had been kicked out of Tantalus, that didn't matter to Blank. "Blank!" Zidane seemed happy enough to see him again. It made a slight smile appear on Blank's face. "We came here straight from Evil Forest." Zidane smiled brightly, "Man, I love you guys!" Blank seemed to tense slightly after those words were said and the dropping of the gate that had blocked Zidane's way out seemed to startle him as the springing of them had done the same. Marcus had been the one to release the switch while Blank was speaking with Zidane. "Zidane, you can ride the gargant downstairs."  
  
Dagger seemed at a lose of words at the moment, "Blank...Marcus..." Blank gave a huff, gesturing for them to just go ahead, "Get out of here! We'll take care of this! There's more bad guys coming!" Zidane nodded lightly in thanks, "I owe you guys big-time! Let's get outta here!" Blank watched as Zidane ran off with the others. Marcus seemed curious of Blank's odd behavior, but, then again, Blank always seemed to act different around Zidane than he did around the others in Tantalus. "Are you ready for this?? The guards should be here soon." Blank looked to Marcus then and gave only a simple nod.  
  
  
  
Later. . . . .  
  
Zorn ran towards the queen's seat on the balcony, but was blocked by one of the female soldiers, "Your Majesty!" Thorn followed right behind his twin, giving a humorous fit while saying, "In my way, you are. Step back, underling!" Zorn gave a similar fit with his arms while adding, "Let us through!" The female soldier simply shook her head, "I have strict orders from the queen not to let either of you through. I shall make any inquiries on your behalf." The twins gave frustrated noises seemingly in unison before attempted to reach the queen's seat by going through the other side, but were once more blocked by one of the female soldiers. "State your business," she ordered of them. Zorn explained, "The queen's guests have arrived." Thorn added, "Let them come in, shall we?" The soldier gave a light sigh, "I shall inquire. Stay here." She approached the queen and leaned forward to speak to her, "Your Majesty... ...Yes, Your Majesty."  
  
The twins waited patiently enough, which really wasn't very patient at all. The soldier then returned to tell them what she had been told, "Let the guests through. You two are dismissed." Zorn gave a confused look towards the woman soldier, "What does that mean?" The soldier responded in an honest tone of voice, "Queen Brahne is quite upset with you two for letting the princess escape with the pendant. You should go now." Thorn seemed troubled at the news, "Whatever to do are we!?" Zorn added in his own troubled, shrilly voice which really wasn't much different from his twin's, "We cannot live without the queen's backing! We must first tell the guests to come in!" The two hurriedly left to retrieve the guests for the queen. They were, perhaps, hoping that this would win her trust again. The large lady gave a sigh as she fanned herself with that fan that didn't seem to fit a woman like her at all.   
  
It wasn't too long after when the lady bounty hunter approached one of the soldiers, "What a view. Who are you? Out of my way! The queen summoned me." The soldiers both gave a look of disapproval. Didn't any of the queen's guests or associates have manners? One of the two spoke up to the boisterous woman, "Restrain yourself before the queen." The woman glared angrily, obviously offended, "Do you understand who you're talking to? I'm Lani, the best and the most beautiful bounty hunter in the world!" The two soldiers eventually moved out of the way allowing Lani and her strange, red-haired companion through to see Queen Brahne. The queen's associated were definitely becoming stranger by the day. "It's a plesure to meet you, Your Majesty. I hear things aren't going too well." Those were Lani's words which seemed more filled with smug amusement rather than respect. Brahn seemed to pause in her fanning to further express her over-dramatic disapproval of the lack of respect, "Have you no manners? This is what I get for hiring a lowlife."  
  
"I'm sure you didn't hire me for my manners, Your Majesty," Lani reasoned quickly after Brahne's comment. "Hmph. You have two objectives. The first is to retrieve the pendant, a national treasure, from Princess Garnet. The other is to assassinate the black mage traveling with them." The red-haired man finally spoke up, "...What is that?" Brahne continued her fanning then, "A soulless golem. A defect is running free." Lani continued to flaunt her arrogance, "I don't know what happened between you and the princess, but what should I do if I meet with resistance?" Brahne continued to fan herself as if none of this was of any importance, "Hmph. Just get me the pendant back from that wretched girl!" Lani smiled, obviously happy with the answer she was given, "Wonderful. My axe is pleased to hear that. It won't take long. Good day, Your Majesty."   
  
  
  
Lani turned to leave, but the red-haired man spoke up, "Is it true that a boy with a tail is traveling with the princess?" Brahne seemed to get irritated by the question, but answered right away anyway, "Yes, that accursed monkey! I shall give you an extra reward if you take care of him." The red-haired bounty hunter responded in his rather cold and dull-toned voice, "...I was right. I'll take care of your request after I finish him." The two bounty hunters then turned to leave. Not long after, one of the soldiers approached Brahne, "Reporting! The Alexandrian fleet has returned to home waters! Please prepare to depart on the Red Rose." Brahne was overjoyed with this information and the fan was finally closed, "Ah, finally! We leave immediately!" She added that obnoxiously loud laugh. The soldier then had to struggle to regain her attention, "Umm... Your Majesty? Queen Brahne?" The woman asked rather rudely, "What is it?" The soldier continued then with the other information, "Lord Kuja wasn't onboard. He left a message. Should I recite it to you?" Queen Brahne was once again angry, "No!I will not hear any excuses! I can do this without him. The cargo is onboard as planned?" The soldier gave a slight nod before being dismissed. It was a sad thing to watch, the soldier thought. Their real Queen Brahne was long since dead. They were left with a monster.  
  
  
  
Pinnacle Rocks . . . . . .  
  
"Ramuh? I know you're here. Must you hide from me?" Kuja gave a frustrated sigh as he was once more stuck going through a forest. He didn't want this Eidolon though. There wasn't any reason for needing this one when he already had those which were far more powerful and had his sights on those even more powerful than the ones he currently possessed. The image of the old-man finally appeared to him. "What is it that you want?" The silver-haired man tilted his head as he folded his arms. Those blue hues looking over the ghost-like figure that floated only a few feet away from him. "It's sad that even Eidolons think of going into hiding. Are you all so weak??" Ramuh narrowed his eyes--further wrinkling his forehead with those lines that further expressed his old age and wisdom."Right.. I suppose I should just get to the point. If you haven't noticed, there are intruders here." Ramuh seemed to understand, "Are you here to harm the one they call Dagger--Princess Garnet?" Kuja shook his head, "I'm more than sure that you realize what I've planned..and I know that you want to become her Eidolon. Well, I will allow you to do just that, but you must play a little game first."   
  
Ramuh seemed slightly more interested then, "What sort of..game?" Kuja moved one hand to dramatically toss his locks over one shoulder though a few still fell back into his face, "It's a simple game really. Parts of a story that she will place together and the final piece differs. I believe you're familiar with the story I speak of. A person who was thought of as a great hero--but who died. Was it just showing that he was human that he died or was he truly some type of hero?" Ramuh questioned, "And you're planning on guessing which the young Garnet will pick?" Kuja laughed, facing Ramuh more fully, "Planning? Oh, dear. I fear that you've lost your precision in your old age. I -know- which one she will choose. Human,of course.Imagine what sort of turmoil she has gone through thus far. Do you really think she will ever think of herself as a hero? She believes that she's a failure and is currently hiding away from her responsibilities. Oh, but she is still such a lovely Canary and her weaknesses only make her that much more of an interesting thing to me. It was her power that destroyed Cleyra, haven't you heard?"  
  
Later . . . . . .  
  
Dagger asked, "Do you think we can borrow an airship in Lindblum? Treno is only steps away if we can reach South Gate." Zidane responded, "Yeah..." He would have spoken more on the subject, but an old man suddenly appeared. The ghostly shape floating only a ways away from them over the cliff. Zidane instantly moved into a defencive stance, "Are you our enemy?" The old man responded, "That is up to you... My name is Ramuh." Dagger instantly recognized the name from one of the many books that Tot had provided for her to read from. "I've heard your name somewhere...! I've seen your name in a book I read about summoning magic... You must be Ramuh, the Thunder God." Ramuh was pleased to see that the girl knew who he was. It saved a lot of explaining. So, he continued, "Do you know that your summon magic destroyed Cleyra? An eidolon follows its summoner's orders... It respodned to the orders of a woman filled with greed this time..." Dagger frowned, "No... Mother...! I can't believe it... I was confined while Cleyra was destroyed..." Zidane felt sorry that he hadn't spoken to Dagger of Cleyra's destruction beforehand. He just really didn't have time. "It wasn't your fault, Dagger. They knew. That's why they stayed behind." Dagger repeated in her soft words, "Everyone..."  
  
Ramuh quickly continued once more, "True, you were not the one who cuased the destruction, but I must ask you... What will you do now?" Dagger answered softly, "If I were more powerfull...," she paused before adding, "If I could use summon magic... I beg of you, please help me!" Ramuh responded, but in a slightly harsh voice, "And cause more destruction?" Dagger quickly shook her head, "No... I was afraid of my summon magic, but not anymore!" Ramuh then continued, "Many years have passed since I last served a master... I must test to see whether you are truly fit to be my master. I will hide 5 manifestations of myself in this forest. Each one will carry a piece of the 'Hero's Story.' Collect all 5 pieces and tell me the story. If you put together the story to my satisfaction, I shall become your Eidolon." The group decided to take the challenge, with Dagger's convincing. She wanted to gain Ramuh's help in order to stop her mother and hopefully return peace to the troubled world. She had to do something and Ramuh was offering to help if they only found the manifestations and put the story back together for him.  
  
They soon completed the odd, yet sad story of the said hero. They approached Ramuh at the exit of Pinnacle Rocks and it was then that he stated, "So you found all 5... Let's hear your story. However, the story comprises 4 parts. One of them doesn't belong. Be sure to choose only 4." Dagger carefully chose 4 of the 5 story parts and stated them in order for Ramuh. He spoke then, "Let's recite your story.. Beginning, Cooperation, Silence, and Human. Are you satisfied with your choices?" It had happened as Kuja predicted. How like that arrogant foreigner to have guessed such a thing of Garnet. Ramuh wondered about this though. Was it true--what he had heard? Was Kuja not from this world? But, didn't Kuja appear just as Human as any other person? Dagger murmured, "Yes." Ramuh then pushed his thoughts aside. Why question it? He was sure he would find out more by staying with this group. "Let me ask you one thing... How come you chose 'Human' for the conclusion?"   
  
Dagger explained, "People pass down stories of other people to whome they feel an affinity. The people in the story had flaws, as we all do. That is why they became heroes in the people's mind." Ramuh seemed to smile lightly, "...I want to know what you think, in your own words." Dagger attempted to explain once again, but in words that seem a bit more simple and personal to her, "Me...? I am away from my country, but I haven't forgotten about my people..." Ramuh spoke up, "...Your soul is very tense right now. Maybe you'll begin to relax once I become your Eidolon..." Dagger smiled happily, seeming very grateful, "Thank you!" Ramuh added, "There are many paths. Remember that you alone choose the path on which you walk." Dagger received Peridot and Ramuh then disappeared. The 'game' was over and the group could then continue. Had the game been planned by Kuja as just something to play with Garnet or was it something more? Even Ramuh was at a loss. Dagger could only hope that..maybe now she could have a chance.  
  
"Let's go to Lindblum!" Zidane looked around, "...Hey, old man! You're gone already?" Vivi fixed at his hat as he looked up to Zidane curiously, "What's wrong?" Zidane answered, "I wanted to ask him why he made Dagger play such a silly game. Heroic? Human? Those are just things people say after the fact. Why try to give meaning to what the main character of the story chose?" Vivi seemed to think for a moment before deciding, "...I think the old man would've become her Eidolon either way. That's the impression I got." Dagger seemed to become impatient then. They had to get moving, "Zidane! Vivi! Let's go!" Zidane and Vivi hurried to catch up with Dagger. When they reached the edge of a large branch, Dagger spoke up, "Look! It's Lindblum Castle! I don't think we can turn back once we jump off. What do you want to do?" Zidane decided that they shuold just jump off then adn they did just that. Dagger spoke up as they reached the bottom, "Zidane. I want to use summon magic to protect everyone..." Zidane smiled encouragingly to Dagger, "I know you can do it, Dagger!" Vivi pointed out in the distance towards Lindblum, "Zidane! Look...!" Zidane turned to look where Vivi pointed, "...Is that the Red Rose!?"  
  
It was indeed Queen Brahn's ship, the Red Rose, heading straight for Lindblum. It was flanked by its fellow ships which were firing at Lindblum. That 'cargo' which Queen Brahne had spoken of before, the black mages, were being sent into the town and causing even further chaos and destruction. Zidane pointed to the lights, "those lights must be telepods! They're sending black mages directly inside the castle! In Cleyra, they used summon magic afterwards..." Dagger gasped, "No...! Mother...Mother!" She then ran towards Lindblum. Zidane shouted towards her before hurrying after her along with Vivi, "Dagger!" They were far too late though as the Eidolon was summoned--Atomos. Atomos attacked the city, sucking the guards and pieces of the once large and magnificent buildings into it. Dagger stumbled to the ground in shock, grasped hold of Zidane's hand when he neared her. How could her mother have done such a thing? That was her thought. Ramuh knew now, the reason why Kuja wanted them to play such a silly game. It was meant as a distraction to keep the group from going into the city at the time. Was it meant to have saved the group or simply keep them from interfering?  
  
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Ok, so you guys really didn't review all that much  
  
on the previous one at the time that this one is put out.   
  
^_^' Truth is, I rather liked this fanfic enough to   
  
enjoy working on more chapters without having to wait  
  
for some to beg for more.   
  
Once more, I hope you enjoy it!  
  
Hiiragi- 


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